


Heart Twister

by aruhime



Category: VICTON (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Drabble Collection, Established Relationship, Fluff, Gothic, Human/Vampire Relationship, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Temporary Character Death, Time Loop, Urban Fantasy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2020-12-07
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:02:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 5,906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27264685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aruhime/pseuds/aruhime
Summary: Or alternatively, a series of Victon drabbles with twisting a line or two of a song's lyrics as its main theme, leading to 31st of October, a.k.a. 2020 Halloween Day.More tags at Table of Content (Chapt 1)Update 2/11/2020: This still sounds fun to write lmao, perhaps I will continue this, not regularly updating—until I'm bored or running out of ideas :D
Relationships: Choi Byungchan/Do Hanse, Choi Byungchan/Han Seungwoo, Han Seungwoo/Kang Seungsik, Heo Chan/Jung Subin, Heo Chan/Kang Seungsik, Im Sejun/Jung Subin
Comments: 4
Kudos: 25





	1. Table of Contents

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, I know it's late and I don't know if I can finish this on time, but I want to try this kind of fic! The tags would be updated as I go, since I actually don't have any rough draft for every fic, except for a list of vague and altered meaning of a song's lyrics. This is kind of like a disaster, I know, but I want to try lmao.  
>   
> Instead of summary, I put context instead, because it isn't exactly the summary of the fic--it acts like an explanation prior to what happened inside the fic. So, yeah.
> 
> As usual, all the fics are not beta-ed, and mostly written at night, so bear with grammatical errors or typos!

**Table of Contents**

1\. [We're In This for Life](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27264685/chapters/66609598) (from _The Light_ sung by The Ark)

Pairing: Seungsik/Seungwoo

Tags/Rating: Time loop, temporary character death, board game gone wrong, slight angst // T for death, I guess.

Context: Seungsik found a weird board game that they eventually played together, and it led to them being in an endless loop of the day when a car would hit one of them to death, only for that person to came back on the next morning, unscathed.

2\. [Cause I'm Your Pilot 네 곁에](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27264685/chapters/66648028) (from _Galaxy_ sung by Bbol4)

Pairing: Seungwoo/Byungchan

Tags/Rating: Vampire!Seungwoo, Human!Byungchan, some blood sucking, but not explicitly, it's fluff I swear // T for implied (and leading to) sexual actions.

Context: The effect of a vampire bite was similar to drinking yourself to death: high. Seungwoo was a vampire, and now Byungchan was as high as a kite.

3\. [Now I Know How It Feels (to have a heartbeat)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27264685/chapters/66667213) (from _Heartbeat_ sung by Amber and Luna of f(x))

Pairing: Chan/Seungsik

Tags/Rating: Ghost!Chan, Witch!Seungsik, kind of resurrection au, fluff // G

Context: Chan was a wandering ghost, he had some unfinished business in his hometown, that was why he couldn't disappear in peace. Seungsik was a witch, he'd found Chan's confused soul between the wreckage of a burned building. Seungsik helped Chan to finish his unfinished business, but he might or might not catching feelings along the way.

4\. [Human](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27264685/chapters/67074310#main) (from _Human_ sung by Dodie Clark)

Pairing: Chan/Seungsik

Tags/Rating: Ghost!Chan, Highschool!Seungsik, fluff // G

Context: Chan was Seungsik's house's ghost—and even though they were different, apparently they were still as human as they could be, in their own way.

5\. [I'll Preserve Your Crystal Heart Through All These Storms](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27264685/chapters/67460729) (from [_忘羨 (Wang Xian)_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXtfxTr6WCc) sung by 吾恩 (Wu En) and 朱强 (Zhu Qiang))

Pairing: Past Chan/Subin, Past Sejun/Subin

Tags/Rating: Kinda gory, modern folktale-au (if that's a thing), The Bluebeard AU, urban magic, fluff (yes) // T for the not-so-gory part

Context: In the thought of his previous lovers, Subin stood up in his room, watching a gleaming crystal turned round and about in its transparent jar, preserved in between clear liquid of Subin's own recipe—and reminiscing.

6\. [Across the Universe](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27264685/chapters/68424632) (from _Across the Universe_ sung by Baek Yerin)

Pairing: Hanse/Byungchan

Tags/Rating: museum date, mentions of spacing out // G

Context: Byungchan met a portrait painting in a museum one day, and he kept coming back to that painting, not sure why. He told Hanse, "I think he wants to tell me something."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wanna suggest a line or two that can be interpreted in a more gruesome meaning? Hit me up in my [cc](https://curiouscat.me/aruhxme) or [twitter](https://twitter.com/chaniiro) lol I mean it.


	2. 1. We're In This for Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seungsik found a weird board game that they eventually played together, and it led to them being in an endless loop of the day when a car would hit one of them to death, only for that person to came back on the next morning, unscathed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title is from The Ark song, titled The Light. I don't know how I managed to think that "oh, we're in this for life, you mean, literally forever, stuck in a loop, hmm" and voila this fic happened.

**Seungwoo** had insisted that it wasn't anybody's fault, but Seungsik thought otherwise. When they walked down the empty street for the seventh time this week, he watched a car turned left with a pained expression. This time it was a white car.

"It's any time soon," Hanse informed with a tone that could be misunderstood as bored. He didn't.

"I don't want to see you—"

"It's alright, Sik. You know how it is by now," Seungwoo squeezed Seungsik's hand. It meant to be calming him down, but Seungsik got even more agitated. "I'll be back again tomorrow morning, just like the others."

"I just," Seungsik sighed. "I just don't want to see you die."

Seungwoo let go of Seungsik's hand, "I won't. I promise."

"It's close," Hanse interrupted, his eyes trained to his watch. He didn't need any battery replacement for his watch now—it wouldn't run out of battery. "Ten, nine, eight—"

"Don't count it down!" Byungchan hissed. "Hanse, I swear to god."

"Three, two—"

The white car appeared, the driver was running the car on full speed, as usual. They had been in this loop for a week now, but the screeching tire still made them jump. The gruesome thought was that they were bound to get used to it. Seungsik shuddered.

"See you tomorrow," Seungwoo waved his hand. He smiled, way too cheery to their liking.

Seungsik really, really wanted to close his eyes when the white car suddenly lost control and hit Seungwoo's body, but he couldn't. He cursed to his previous self, who didn't close his eyes at the first incident (it was Sejun), so he wouldn't be able to close his eyes when the incident happened, forever.

Seungsik didn't know he was sobbing silently, it was Chan who suddenly grab his hand and making invisible circles on his skin, and Seungsik realized he had been holding his breath since Hanse's count down arrived at three.

"We don't need to go closer," Chan murmured, loud enough for the group to hear him. "We don't need—"

"Hyung, we have to." Subin said, his tone low. "If we don't, we will still see the, the body, no matter how. It's better to come closer now, and get this over with."

Seungsik knew Subin was right. Subin was always right—he had always been able to think clearly. Seungsik nodded, "Let's blend in to the crowd, then we go back. Quickly."

Without waiting for the rest of them agree, Seungsik walked forward, dragging Chan, who still grabbing his hand, with him. (Seungsik didn't know if Chan was trying to calm Seungsik down, or he was trying to calm _himself_.)

As how it always went, people would be crowding around the "corpse", accusing the reckless driver, and somebody would call the ambulance. All of them would cramped in the ambulance and the police's car, waiting at the ER waiting room, retreiving the news that their friend couldn't be saved, and then they went home. It was the pattern they had memorized by now, and tonight was no difference.

It was his fault, Seungsik thought again. They were done with today's cycle; they were back on their shared apartment, each of them locking themselves inside their room.

Seungsik's roommate was Seungwoo. It was cold with only himself on the bed.

If only Seungsik hadn't been insisting on playing that board game, they wouldn't be in this endless loop of horror. Who thought that watching one of your friend died in front of your eyes was a good laugh? Seungsik wanted to strangle the creator of that weird-looking board game. He should have known—the moment he rolled the wooden dice, something would go wrong.

Someone opened Seungsik's room. It was Chan.

"Sik, don't think about it too much."

"It's easy for you to say," Seungsik didn't stir from his position, his back facing the door. "You're not the one who found the game—"

"Hyung's right, it wasn't anybody's fault, Sik. We agreed to play. If it made you better, _we_ are all at fault here."

"Still."

"You don't have to bear it alone," Chan said, his voice restrained. "You have us. Like Subin said, unless we managed to get out of the loop, we're in this together for life. Literally."

Seungsik said nothing. He stared at the empty space beside him.

"Hyung would be back tomorrow morning." Chan said lastly. "You know how it is. Good night, Sik."

"Get lost, Chan."

Seungsik heard Chan closed the door. Now he was completely wrapped in silence.

It would be okay, Seungsik reasoned in his head. Seungwoo would be back tomorrow. It would be okay. And then, by night, the cycle would begin again.

They would be okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In narrator's voice: they are, in fact, not okay.  
>   
> Board game gone wrong... I thought of Jumanji but it wasn't looping the time, was it? I forgot, it was long time ago.  
> Anyway. My evil brain said that they couldn't break the loop unless one of them is actually dead on the hit-by-the-car loop, and for that to happen, I don't know how. For the sake of not angsting everyone, let's just leave this here, lol.  
>   
> Come and yell about them with me in my [cc](https://curiouscat.me/aruhxme) or [twitter!](https://twitter.com/chaniiro)


	3. 2. Cause I'm Your Pilot 네 곁에

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The effect of a vampire bite was similar to drinking yourself to death: high. Seungwoo was a vampire, and now Byungchan was as high as a kite.

_Cause I’m a pilot anywhere_

_Cause I’m your pilot, by your side_

_I’ll pluck those stars_

_And give them to you, my galaxy._

Bbol4 — Galaxy

**Seungwoo** knew he had the charm, and he might or might not forcing it a bit harder than usual—Byungchan was on his lap, his body wasn't entirely boneless, but Byungchan put all of his body weight, leaning onto Seungwoo's shoulder, eyes closed.

"Byungchannie?" Seungwoo lightly shook his—his colleague? Friend? His boyfriend? Seungwoo wasn't entirely sure about their whole relationship.

Byungchan only responded with giggles, snuggling closer to Seungwoo's neck.

Actually, their relationship wasn't that complicated. Seungwoo was a young vampire, and Byungchan was his "blood donor." If you expect Byungchan to be pale and sickly-looking because of the lack of blood, he wasn't. He was as vibrant and lively as a human should be—in fact, Seungwoo fell for him because of his seemingly eternal rosy cheeks, always smiling widely.

Seungwoo, and vampires in general, only needed to be fed twice a month. Byungchan didn't have to worry about randomly fainting everywhere. Besides, Seungwoo was a considerate vampire. Hot chocolate and full course meal were necessary items after each, er, blood donating session.

So, yeah, perhaps Byungchan would feel slightly dizzy after Seungwoo finished, but that wasn't the main reason why Byungchan was all snuggled up on Seungwoo like this.

When a vampire bit in human flesh, it kind of like a mosquito bite, their saliva contained proteins that were considered foreign in human body. The difference was, if a mosquito bite's effect was itchiness, a vampire bite could make someone high.

Seungwoo didn't know how it worked nor he wanted to find out. He knew there must be some explanation about this, but right now his mind was occupied by a high and giggly Byungchan on his lap.

"Seungwoo," Byungchan breathed to Seungwoo's neck. He pressed a long kiss there, trying to imitate the way Seungwoo sucked his neck earlier. "Hi, Seungwoo,"

They had been doing this blood donor and recipient for some time, and Seungwoo definitely couldn't get used of giggly Byungchan. He was still as carefree as normal Byungchan, but he became a lot more touchy. And the fact that they had been tiptoeing around each other's heart for some time really didn't help.

Byungchan pulled himself back only to scoot even closer towards Seungwoo, and as he put his arms on both Seungwoo's shoulders, the vampire felt his newly obtained blood rushed to his head, his ears ringing. Suddenly he didn't know where to put his hands.

" _Seungwoo-hyung,"_

"Yes, yes," Seungwoo felt himself, too, breathless, just like Byungchan. His lips were only several centimeters away from Seungwoo's face, and he was supposed to bit Byungchan's neck, not his lips too. And definitely not other parts of Byungchan's body. Like his right ear, for example.

When Byungchan sighed, something held Seungwoo back. He knew he had Byungchan's consent, even when he was not really himself like this. As long as he was careful, as long as he remembered to not overly done it—

Seungwoo's thought was cut by Byungchan's impatient lips, hungrily catching Seungwoo's mouth.

For once, Seungwoo felt confident. Byungchan wanted him, Byungchan trusted him. Maybe, next time when they were on their own head, Seungwoo needed to finally ask Byungchan out. Perhaps tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow—but, not tonight.

"Let's do it," Byungchan whispered, giggling. His breath was warm, hovering over Seungwoo's mouth and nose. "Come on, _guide me_."

Byungchan said _guide me,_ but then he pushed his lips to Seungwoo's, forcing them to open gently, and he experimentally swept his tongue to Seungwoo's still-emerging fang. He let out a tiny laugh, and, oh, how dare he laughed at this timing?

Seungwoo laughed mentally, it was actually a perfect moment—Seungwoo was freshly filled up with Byungchan's blood, his whole being was buzzing of recharged energy—and because of Byungchan himself.

When Seungwoo took over the lead, Byungchan gladly let him. Looked like tonight's session would be finished longer than usual.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why Bbol4's Galaxy? Because Byung is high, and he's not quite himself, and he needs Woo to lean on and being his _pilot, _yeah? Get it? And from the lyrics "I'll pluck those stars and give it to you" because they're about to fuck and Byung's seeing stars from, uh, their climax, yeah? Get it?? I know this is lame but I can't help it, I'm sorry.  
>   
>  Some background that I don't manage to slip inside: Seungwoo is working on a publishing company, and Byungchan is the intern, and for some reason he smells nice. Well, it's his blood that smells nice, so Seungwoo politely asks him about becoming his "blood donor" and Byungchan agrees almost immediately.  
>   
> In this one, vampire and human live together side by side. And being a blood donor for vampires is not a thing to be frowned! There's an official place for vampires to get blood, like a red cross but for vampires lol, but drinking straight from the human is always tasted better, so, yeah.__


	4. 3. Now I Know How It Feels (to have a heartbeat)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chan was a wandering ghost, he had some unfinished business in his hometown, that was why he couldn't disappear in peace. Seungsik was a witch, he'd found Chan's confused soul between the wreckage of a burned building. Seungsik helped Chan to finish his unfinished business, but he might or might not catching feelings along the way.

**Seungsik** knew it wouldn't be easy, but he was willing to try. He was experienced enough to understand the old manual they had found in Seungsik's attic—the parchment was filled with unintelligible cursive handwriting, if Chan still had a body, he would get a headache now. Yet, with a swipe of his hand and incantations Chan couldn't recognize, Seungsik was able to rearrange the words and read it perfectly. Chan still didn't understand what the parchment said, but Seungsik knew now, and that was all that mattered, honestly.

It was one month ago. Right now, they were on Seungsik's backyard, hunched over something planted in the wet soil. Seungsik held the scroll, watching Chan with a weird expression.

"It wouldn't be easy," Seungsik repeated the words out loud. Chan rolled his ghost-eyes.

"I know. Anyone would recognize that _that_ thing is old and rusty, and, therefore, it's difficult to execute."

"But, you still want to do it."

"Honestly, Seungsik," Chan grinned. "It wasn't me who wanted that the most, though."

Seungsik blushed. He unrolled the parchment, reading the instructions further.

Chan was a ghost and Seungsik was about to get him a body; a _real body_ , so Chan could actually touch things. Seungsik said it was convenience if they wanted to find the culprit who poisoned Chan's tea and burned his mansion down. It would help Seungsik a lot, the witch reasoned, and it would be easier for Chan to investigate, too. For example, if Chan could actually touch things, he could help Seungsik holding his books for research purpose. He could directly strangle the culprit if he wanted to. _It was convenience! It would be nice!_

It was amusing to see Seungsik being excited and all. Chan could tell that Seungsik was a good witch; and by good he meant the obedient and nice kind of witch, who never got in trouble for the rest of his life, who restrained themselves from _fun things_. And, by fun things Chan meant things like breaking the twelve witch principles and those kind of old rules.

Seungsik was too kind, and Chan liked to tease him. It was inevitable.

"Uh, so, this flower is in full bloom now." Seungsik coughed. Chan smirked at his attempt to return to the earlier conversation. "I've memorized the incantation at heart by now. It will make the flower sucked you in, and we'll wait for another month for you to ripe."

"You're trying to harvest me like vegetables?" Chan cackled. "So, what, will I be green? Or brown, like a potato?"

Seungsik groaned. "No! No, you will have a proper human body, I swear."

"Has this been done before?"

"Um," Seungsik shifted his footing. "Yes, I think."

" _You think?"_

"It's uncommon, you know," Seungsik sounded small, but he still glared at Chan's direction. "So, do you want to do it or not?"

"Anything for you, Sik-ah," Chan grinned. "Do it."

Somehow Seungsik looked worried. "Are you sure?"

"Don't chicken out at the last minute, Sik-ah."

"Okay," Seungsik took a deep breath. "Okay."

Seungsik hovered his palm over the blooming flower. Spreading his fingers, he began to whisper the incantation that, quoting Seungsik earlier, sucked Chan's soul in.

Slowly, as Seungsik moved to the second part of the whole incantation script, Chan's transparent being disappeared into thin air.

"Byungchan, please be careful."

"I know, hyung. I'm a professional grave digger, don't worry."

Seungsik believed him, but he couldn't help to worry whenever Byungchan's sharp claws thrusted into the soil, digging around the area of the same flower that "sucked" Chan's soul one month ago. He knew Byungchan could feel the ground, it made him aware of all the things inside the ground, including the ripe body of Chan the ghost, but, still. Seungsik was a worrier.

Today marked the exact one month after Seungsik "planted" Chan's soul into this flower. He literally flew outside before the first sunlight touched the earth; he didn't want to miss anything. The old scroll said that after one month, the first sunlight would bring the flower upwards, pulling the materialized body along as the sun rose up higher to the sky. Seungsik had to see this. He wanted to be the first one that Chan saw when he opened his eyes later.

But, somehow, the flower didn't arouse. He didn't dare to try another spell that might worked, what if it damaged Chan's body? In the moment of desperation, he called Byungchan with teary eyes.

Seungsik felt like his life was on hold when Byungchan finally get to pull the blooming flower completely.

At a glance, this flower was just like the usual herbs people planted on their backyards. Yet, instead of roots, under the soil was a complete adult human body. Seungsik released the breath he was holding in.

It looked _healthy._ Seungsik wanted to cry.

Byungchan wasn't exactly surprised with his pulling, but he was wide eyed, fascinated. He did jump a little, though, when the body shivered because of the cold morning air.

"Bring him inside! Oh my, oh my."

After a rough time cleaning the dirty body (it had been planted for _two months_ ), Seungsik laid the body down on his bed. He made himself and Byungchan a pot of hot tea, and they sat on the chair, waiting for the body, no, waiting for Chan to woke up.

Much to Seungsik's relief, it didn't take too long for Chan to gasp. His eyelids fluttered open, blinking a few time, adjusting to the light. Seungsik rushed to his side at once.

" _Chan_ ," Seungsik breathed. "Oh my god, can you hear me? Byungchan, what if it went wrong and he's—"

"I can hear you just fine," Chan croaked. "Wow, this feels weird."

"Oh my _god_ —"

"Wow, I have heartbeat again," Chan put his hand on his chest. "We did it, Seungsik! We did it!"

Seungsik throw his arms around Chan's new body, pulling him into a hug. He didn't mean to cry, really, but, then it struck his mind and heart that he was actually holding Chan now, holy shit—

"Hey, hey, don't cry," Chan laughed. "There's nothing to be sad of, Sik-ah."

"Thisistearsofhappiness," Seungsik mumbled.

"What?"

"This is happy tears!" Seungsik pulled himself. He wiped his cheeks roughly, sniffling. "Now, please go to bath because you stink."

"I what—"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In narrator's voice: And Byungchan was calmly sipping his tea while Seungsik was freaking out.  
> And did they actually catch Chan's murderer? Yes, of course. While waiting for Chan's body to ripe, Seungsik did an extensive research about who Chan was, who would possibly hold a grudge over him and his family, things like that.  
>   
> Anyway, TMI time. So, Seungsik was literally growing a substitute body out of that flower, and then send Chan's soul inside, and waited for a month for the soul to completely linked with the body. And, yes, the flower was heavily referenced from Scum Villain's Self Saving System, that danmei, yes, that danmei. (Read it, guys, it's funny, it's great.) In the original novel, the period of growing and maturing the flower wasn't exactly two months—it was longer, I think.  
>   
> When I listened to that lyrics in Amber and Luna's Heartbeat, I couldn't stop thinking about *corpses*, and somehow all this growing body business slipped into my mind while writing.


	5. 4. Human

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chan was Seungsik's house's ghost—and even though they were different, apparently they were still as human as they could be, in their own way.

_Paint me in trust,_

_I'll be your best friend._

_Call me the one,_

_This night just can't end._

_Oh, I'm so human._

Human – Dodie

**Seungsik** had a small secret. It was the same secret that had made him went straight home after school. It was also the reason why Seungsik was so cheerful these days, quoted from Seungwoo. He had suspected the existence of any significant other, and judged by the way Seungsik's cheeks slightly reddened, Seungwoo believed it was true. Seungsik had somehow gotten a sweetheart all for himself, and he didn't tell Seungwoo about it.

"No! No, it isn't like that." Seungsik pouted, his face still flushing. Seungwoo obviously didn't buy it. "I swear, Seungwoo, it's not—I'm just a little bit busier these days."

"Well, if you insist." Seungwoo shrugged.

They didn't brought the topic again after that, but Seungwoo still strongly believed that there was someone new in Seungsik's life. He was slightly upset Seungsik didn't tell him about it, but it would come around eventually. It was fine. Seungwoo could wait.

Seungsik had a small secret, and Seungwoo's hunch wasn't entirely off, though this new person couldn't be called a person anymore.

The door to Seungsik's room flew open even when Seungsik was still on the front door. He could hear it, his house wasn't that big after all, and he smiled.

"It was the fifth time this week, Seungsik," his sister yelled from her room. "Can't you be a little bit quieter?"

"It wasn't me, though," Seungsik replied, still on the front door, putting his shoes on the shoe rack. He padded along to his sister's room, peeked from the doorway. "Hi, I'm home."

His sister frowned, glanced to Seungsik's room direction, and then to Seungsik. "What—how,"

"It wasn't me," he said simply. "It was the house's ghost."

"Ha ha ha, very funny."

Seungsik only shrugged. He went to his own room, which door was already opened, and was greeted by a sudden breeze of cold air wrapped around his body. It wasn't like the cold and refreshing air from a fan or aircon, no, it was entirely something else. It was chilly, down to his bone, it could freeze the entire house, it could freeze Seungsik's blood vessels in an instant.

"Welcome home," Chan said, his dimples were on full display.

Seungsik drowned the familiar uneasiness on his stomach—sometimes it frightened him how he was too familiar with this underworld dread, and, moreover, fond of it.

"I'm home," he grinned.

**It** was like this: Seungsik was an ordinary high schooler in his junior year, dealing over mock exams and physic projects, and Chan was an ordinary ghost, wandering around the place he bonded over the most. It happened to be Seungsik's house—Seungsik's room, to be exact.

Seungsik saw Chan at some point, and instead of freaking out, Seungsik was simply didn't care. It went downhill from there, or uphill, depending on the way you see it.

Chan was a polite ghost, at least it was Seungsik's first impression of him. He didn't do the ghost-thing that most television series portrayed wandering ghost always do. Instead of breaking and misplacing things, Chan helped Seungsik finding his glasses one day. He helped closing the forgotten opened windows when it was raining hard outside, and nobody was home at that time. He sat quietly at the end of Seungsik's bed, pointing out Seungsik's crawly handwriting every now and then.

If anything, Chan the Ghost was annoying—in a way that Seungsik's classmate would annoy the out of him. His endless tease about Seungsik's handwriting was one of his 'annoying' antics, but it was harmless, really.

At some point, they past the period of bickering over every little thing they'd found and made peace. They bonded over their shared interest towards photography and singing—Chan would always throw his jealous stare whenever Seungsik showed him places he had been taking photos at.

Chan couldn't actually leave the area around Seungsik's house too far—it was like something was tying him up like a leash. Every time Chan tried to walk away from the house, a little bit too far from usual, he would be thrown back into Seungsik's room immediately. He had given up his stubborn head at some point and started accepting the fact that he couldn't leave Seungsik's house, forever.

It was the period where Seungsik started coming straight up home, rarely accepting his friend's invitations to play somewhere.

Chan's pale, almost transparent face would light up whenever Seungsik come home early—and it was all it took to made Seungsik stick to his new routine every day.

**Seungsik** was on his senior year now, still dealing over mock exams and, for now, university entrance tests. For the first time in several years they had been together, Seungsik and Chan finally had a real fight. It was about—you guessed it—Seungsik's choice of his future college.

"I will be here every goddamn time you come home, Sik-ah." Chan yelled. The icy aura emitted form him was slightly colder than usual. "I can't leave the house, I will be here _every time_! What else could you ask for?"

"If I attend the college here, I can see you _all the time_ —"

"But it's not worth it!" If only Chan was still alive, Seungsik could see his face reddened with anger. He would stomp his fist on the bedsheet—he did, now, but it didn't make much impact. "Should I remind you that I am already dead for, like, twenty five years now, and my life is pretty much ended twenty five years ago. But, _you_ on the other hand—"

Seungsik mumbled something. Chan didn't try to coax the words out of him.

"It's not worth it, Seungsik." Chan repeated with a much softer voice. "I swear—I swear over my cold body on the cemetery down the street—I'm not worth your entire academical career."

Seungsik wanted to say 'I know', but he didn't. It hurt himself more than it hurt Chan—after all, he was an ordinary human who wanted to keep his loved ones near.

"This wouldn't be such an issue if I didn't receive that ivy league college scholarship," Seungsik muttered. "The local ones are good enough."

"Seungsik."

"I know, I know. Don't lecture me any more, I will take that—"

"Seungsik," Chan went to cup Seungsik's cheeks. Seungsik shivered because of the sudden cold contact. "Me, too, want to keep you around. But you aren't like me—your life doesn't stop here. If you turned down the invitation, I will be much more upset than your parents, I swear."

"I know," Seungsik mumbled. "I won't."

Chan poked Seungsik's pouty lips, laughing slightly. "That's the spirit."

He went to press his cold lips to Seungsik's, not really touching, considering how Chan's entire being was an abstract entity and Seungsik solid, but it was the closest they could do to kiss each other, and Seungsik would definitely take every chance he could get.

**When** Seungsik glanced back to his house for the last time that spring, he looked somewhat hopeful and not sad. Chan sat outside Seungsik's window, his transparent body glimmered under the sunlight. It was kind of ethereal, honestly. He was beautiful, glimmering body or not.

"Good bye, for a while," Seungsik said, not too loud but not too quiet either. He knew Chan heard it because he smiled widely when Seungsik finished. "I'll miss you every day."

His sister came near; she had thrown Seungsik's last bag inside the car, ready to go any time. "Who are you talking to? Let's go, don't waste this sunny weather."

"The house's ghost," Seungsik said softly, still watching Chan who now laughed at the scene.

"What? I didn't catch that."

"I said, I was saying goodbye to our house's ghost."

"Ha ha ha, very funny, Seungsik. Cut your bull crap and let's go."

He did a small wave, and Chan waved back. Seungsik would come back on holidays, he would find Chan hanging out in his room as he always did, he would be okay.

Seungsik kept his eyes on his house—on the house's ghost, on his beloved one, on _Chan_ —until he couldn't see it anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Both of them are 'human' in their own different way—Seungsik is, well, an actual human, and Chan is 'human' because he still have his mortal desire (loving Seungsik, I mean.)
> 
> This wasn't going in my intended direction, but I don't disappointed by how this turned out! The excerpt is from Dodie Clark's song titled Human, give it a listen, it's a gem ;)


	6. 5. I'll Preserve Your Crystal Heart Through All These Storms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the thought of his previous lovers, Subin stood up in his room, watching a gleaming crystal turned round and about in its transparent jar, preserved in between clear liquid of Subin's own recipe—and reminiscing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is loosely inspired by French folktale, titled The Bluebeard :D I love that story as a child, and still do now! Any variation of the story that I have read was always from the bride's POV, I wonder how's the Bluebeard's one lmao, so here it is.

Today marked the fiftieth day since the last time Subin set his foot inside this room. He pressed the password on the panel installed on the door—his birthday, typed from the birth month, 0405. The room opened immediately, but Subin lingered. He sighed—either the password was too simple, or his partners were too smart. Subin chose the previous one. It was always easier to blame himself rather than dumping it all on his lovers. He loved them dearly, they were perfect, hand-picked by him, so of course it wasn't their fault.

Subin sighed, smiling softly at the panel, before he entered the room.

At first, people would mistake the room as a mini-library. There were indeed lines of books inside, stacked neatly on four bookshelves, sorted by some system only Subin understand. On the floor was a thick carpet, but not thick enough to hold too much dust, it was just right and comfortable for Subin's feet. A small reading table was at the end of the room, just by the window, complete with a reading lamp and cozy armchair. It was, indeed, partly a small house library, but there was something else inside that made it more like a mini-museum.

Subin felt the soft carpet with his feet. It needed some vacuuming.

He crossed the room, not paying attention to the bookshelves lined on the walls. Instead, he immediately went to the simple wall-shelf installed between them, quite hidden from the door, pinned to the wall exactly on an eye level.

Lining the shelf were 20 centimeter-tall jars, made of transparent glass, and inside the jars were actual human hearts, preserved carefully in a special liquid to keep them crystallized.

Subin had been devoting ten years of his life to perfecting this special recipe. This was his hard work, and he was proud of it.

There were two shelves installed, one and another one below it, and the first one was already filled with three jars, each contained its own human hearts. The second shelf was still empty, for now.

Grazing the tip of his finger to one of the jars, Subin re-read the paper placard placed in front of it for the hundredth of time in his life. It was printed like a museum placard—and it indeed acted like a museum placard; it contained the information of whose heart was in the jar, which year it began to be stored inside, and how many days they were together with Subin before they ended up in this medium-sized jar of his.

The card contained little information, but it was enough for Subin. After all, he never really forgot all his previous lovers. He _loved_ them, how could he forget?

In fact, it was because he treasured them dearly so he kept them with him forever in this room.

This one's placard said: _Heo Chan; 20181214; 426_. Subin brushed the dust around it—he really need to do some vacuuming after this. And perhaps wiped the jars, too. Subin was a clean person, after all.

Chan wasn't a clean freak like he was, Subin remembered fondly. But after he lived with Subin for five months, the habit had rubbed on him. The last thing Chan had cleaned before he was brought here was a set of china they'd use for dinner that day. It was kept on the second bookshelves, another memento of him in Subin's life.

As excited as he was to reminiscing about his past lovers, Subin didn't enter this room without any cause.

He had brought another jar with him all along. It was another crystal heart. When he put the new jar on the second row of his wall-shelf, he stepped back a bit and observed.

"You all have a new companion, Sweethearts." Subin said softly, smiling ear to ear, as if he was announcing a very great news. He did indeed announced a very great news—another addition to the family was always exciting, right? A new family member, a new heart to be taken care of.

Subin put the newly printed paper placard in front of the jar, adjusting it so it wouldn't cover the heart that was stored inside. Subin wanted a full view of his handwork—also, pretty things were meant to be displayed, not hidden.

"Be kind to him," Subin continued, amused. "He is very clumsy, but he is adorable, nevertheless. Yes, you will get used to his clumsiness like I did, eventually."

The jars, of course, said nothing, but Subin went on.

"Make yourself at home, would you, Sejun?" He tapped the jar a few times. The heart floated still inside. "You have been at home for three month already. Now you're with me, forever. Isn't that what we wished for?"

A trick of light made the heart glimmered, as if it was pulsating once again, answering Subin's words.

"Of course," Subin laughed, breathless. "Of course. Now, be kind everyone. I will be back for cleaning. I just need to get my vacuum cleaner—"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 50th day, because Subin needs 50 days for the entire process of preserving the heart before it turns into crystal and can be displayed on pretty jars. He has a special room for that too! This one is just for display /wink wink  
>   
> This one piece (and its title too) is based of one line taken from a song in Grandmaster of Demonic's Cultivation's audio drama, titled 忘羨 (wàng xiàn). I use this translation (and if you want to know the song, lol) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXtfxTr6WCc, all credits goes to them!


	7. 6. Across the Universe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byungchan met a portrait painting in a museum one day, and he kept coming back to that painting, not sure why. He told Hanse, "I think he wants to tell me something."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is loosely based on the old indie game, Ib! I personally never played the game myself, tho—I saw someone made a fanart based on that and I thought I'd definitely made some fic out of this someday! Lol here it is, then.

Hanse didn't expect he would feel guilty by taking Byungchan to a museum date a week ago. It was his birthday, and Byungchan said he would do anything he asked that day. Originally, Hanse had considered asking more juicy things to do, but a look from Byungchan made him cancel any of his juicy plan.

("It's not like I don't like it, Sese. We can do it any day, why don't you think of something more—"

"I get it, Byung. I get it.")

So, he chose a museum date. It was approved by Byungchan's standard of precious activity (read: the museum's ticket for two adults were quite pricey for broke university students like them.)

That, until Byungchan randomly stood up in front of a big portrait painting silently for quite some time. If Hanse was asked to re-describe it later, he would say Byungchan was enchanted by that painting. His eyes were fixated to the painting's face.

Unfortunately, Hanse at that time didn't really pick up the oddity of their situation. He only realized that Byungchan was lagging behind him, and thus he walked back to see what had been capturing Byungchan's attention.

It was a large portrait painting of a nobleman, painted with oil. The man sat on a grandiose arm chair, the one that had stuffed backrest and fancy carving on its frame.

Hanse felt that this painting was okay—it was great, don't take him wrong, but it was just so so. It didn't have any distinctive style that made it stand out—not its colouring technique, not its colour palette, not its muse's identity either. If anything, Hanse would said that the normalcy was odd—it emitted such a fake calm aura, the calm-before-the-storm kind of vibe.

Hanse thought that if he had look at the painting for another hour, something bad would happen.

"Come on, Byung," Hanse slipped his fingers to Byungchan's hand. "There's still a lot of things we need to see, or else we'll spend the entire day here."

Byungchan nodded, but his eyes were still trained to the painting. Hanse tugged on him a bit before Byungchan finally gave in. He took a last look to the mysterious painting and let himself dragged by Hanse.

Much to Hanse's horror, Byungchan was back to the museum on the next day, and the day after that, and the day after that day. He went there alone and discreet, not telling anyone including Hanse. It was the trash duty that'd blown Byungchan's cover away—Hanse found five ripped museum tickets on the trashcan in Byungchan's room; five tickets, five different dates.

When Hanse confronted him about that, Byungchan stared back at him, didn't realize what was wrong.

"Yes, I went back to the museum," Byungchan raised his eyebrows.

"You said yourself that it was expensive—"

"I'm trying to understand him!"

Hanse's eyes widened. "Understand who?"

"The man, you know," Byungchan's sounded desperate. "I think _he_ wants to tell me something. I still can't comprehend his message, that's why I keep coming back."

Hanse went with Byungchan for his sixth visit to the museum. Hanse had expected Byungchan to refuse; he didn't. Instead, Byungchan looked ecstatic about the prospect of Hanse meeting the portrait painting. He talked about ways of understanding the "message" all the way to the museum—Hanse tried to answer him even though he got his head full with blazing siren.

"We're here," Byungchan said, breathless, when they finally arrived at the corridor where the painting had displayed.

"And now—?"

"And now we're trying to understand," Byungchan explained patiently. "Listen, Hanse."

When Byungchan said that, his eyes were fixed to the painting, cloudy, like there was a thin layer of mist in front of his irises.

And, listen he did. After he told Hanse to listen, Byungchan fell silent. He certainly didn't look like that he was listening or concentrating on something—his cloudy eyes were in daze, his expression empty. He just stood there, as if he was waiting for something.

Hanse got goosebumps on his whole body.

"Shut it," he swore under his breath. He grabbed Byungchan's arm, trying to drag him away.

"Ssh, Hanse, I'm busy."

"No, you're not," Hanse struggled to pull Byungchan's arm to the nearest exit. The other visitor were looking at them weirdly, but Hanse didn't care. He would lock Byungchan in his room if he should, as long as he didn't come back here anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's across the universe as in "on the other side" of the universe, a.k.a. some spooky alternate universe, yeah?


End file.
